The 16 participating teams were divided into two round robin pools, the top four of each pool advancing to the second round, in which each qualified team played each of the qualified teams from the other pool. The top two teams in the standings after the second round then qualified for the championship final.

Standings were determined by the win-loss records over all games played within a pool. In case of a tie, the order of the teams tied was determined by, in this sequence, (a) the win-loss record of the games played among the tied teams (=head-to-head HTH), (b) the highest difference between the ratios of runs scored per offensive innings and runs allowed per defensive innings (=Team's Quality Balance TQB), (c) the highest difference between the ratios of earned runs scored per offensive innings and earned runs allowed per defensive innings (ERTQB), (d) the highest batting average in the games played among the tied teams, (e) a coin flip.[7]

The tournament was marred by inclement weather, causing a number of rainout games that had to be made up, increasing the pressure on the tournament schedule. In the end, eleven of the sixteen second-round games needed to be played within two days, requiring teams to play doubleheaders of games shortened to seven innings,[9] and the bronze medal game in the final round had to be canceled to allow the final to be played.[10]